Return home from trip, Back home in Florida, and Health Update as of the end of December

On December 11th when I returned home to south Florida, I added this post to let everyone know I was home. It’s now the end of December and I finally have time and energy to add to this story and add an update as of December 25th, the day I am writing this post. Last summer, and also earlier this year, my doctor didn’t think I would live to see the end of 2014. Now, it’s about a week away and I am still alive. Evidently, God is not ready for my life here to be over yet.

I arrived back home in south Florida on Thursday, December 11th. After I left Waco, I took my time driving back. It took me four days. It was not always an easy drive, due to pain. I stopped frequently to rest or take a nap, or my pain medicine. I stopped in Yulee, Florida to visit with my friend Cindy for a few days. We baked cookies and caught up on life and I told her about my trip. I also was able to wash the rugs in my camper, they got pretty dirty on my trip. A friend of mine met me when I got home and helped me unload my camper so I could not have to go up and down the stairs to my apartment as many times. It also saved me from carrying anything heavy. I am so grateful for Dale’s help. I still find it difficult and not easy to ask for help, or admit I need help. I’m trying to be better at it. I know when I help others it feels good. Lois told me many years ago that if I don’t let others help me then I am depriving them of feeling good for helping someone else. Lois died in May 1989, yet her positive impact on my life still has a positive effect all these years later.

I am so glad that I made the decision in early September to take another trip. I really prayed hard and sincerely about it for a few months, and at times I was hesitant to take the trip due to the increase in my pain and symptoms I was experiencing due to my tumor and health condition. I kept praying and taking action for taking the trip. After much prayer, thought, talking with my doctor, and planning, I decided to take the trip. I wrote about this in a story the end of August or early September.

Anyway, thankfully, I made the entire trip. There were a few times I thought I would have to cut the trip short due to health symptoms, but I waited a day or so and decided to continue on the journey. I am so happy I did. I enjoyed my entire journey. You can read the stories in the posts I wrote since September. Wow!!! I also got to go to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, crewed for Scott and went up in his balloon again, and volunteered at the event, among other experiences and adventures.

Now that I am home and have time, I finally wrote the story about the Homestead Heritage Fair, so I hope you read it, along with a few other stories I wrote about my five weeks at Homestead Heritage where I had the privilege to visit with many of my friends there and to help out in various ways such as working at the gristmill, cheese shop, and picking vegetables in Kim’s garden, and the other places I visited on this three month expedition. The Yarden family who I have become very close to over the past several years let me park my camper in their front yard and they include me as part of their family, and they invite me to eat meals with them.

Since I’ve been back home, I’m slowly getting everything put away. I got my clothes put away within a few days, however, it’s the other things that seem to be taking a bit more time. I’ve been baking a lot of cookies and brownies for the holidays and giving plates of goodies to friends and places of business that I use frequently. I brought back cheese, jelly, spiced pecans, and Gristmill products and I’ve been gifting them to friends as well. I also am enjoying the same items I brought back since I brought back enough for me to keep too. My mom loves the spiced pecans and my friend Ahavah that makes the pecans gave me the recipe, so I made a two pound batch for my mom and I gave her several types of my cookies too.

I wanted a blanket for my bed, so I went to one of the big box stores as they are called and I found a very soft, plush blanket. I love the soft feel of it. I also found some 50 x 70 throws that are really soft so I bought three of them too. I will keep one or two home to use for my naps, and the other will go into my camper as a blanket on my bed there. I might put two in the camper. I find when it’s really cold, that if I put a blanket under me, over the bottom sheet, that it keeps me warmer and it’s a great feeling to have something soft to lay on. I guess it might be like in olden days when people laid on animal skins that were soft and plush.

For the past year or so my doctor said to eat whatever I can because there were and are times I can’t eat much at a time. I was eating lots of things that were not low calorie, such as ice cream, pasta, etc. I gained about 25 or so pounds. On my recent trip, I was walking more and not snacking very much, and not eating much. As a result, I lost 22 pounds. This summer I had to buy pants a size or two larger since I couldn’t fit into my jeans. Now, those jeans are way too large. So, a few days ago, I went and bought pants two sizes smaller. If I lose or gain a few pounds these jeans should still fit me. I am not trying to gain weight, but I’m guessing I will be since I’m now baking and cooking and able to snack more often. I still can’t eat much at a time, so I eat small amounts a little more often if I can. I seldom get hungry, I look at the clock and based on the time, I know I should eat something. I also have to make sure I drink enough fluids so I don’t dehydrate.

I went to the doctor the other day and she confirmed what I already know. I could tell by her expression when pressing my abdomenal, chest, and pelvic areas, that’s where the large tumor I have that is located, that she is puzzled by how I can still be alive. I know I am. My entire abdominal, chest, and pelvic areas are extremely hard, as is the tumor which is definitely larger than it was in June. We have no idea how my organs are still functioning, we know they are but at a lesser capacity, based on my symptoms. My tumor is still growing, and it’s pressing more on the nerves in my left leg, and pressing on my organs more. For the past few months, occasionally, I wake up during the night or early morning having trouble breathing. The tumor is pressing on my diaphram, and it’s also causing my bladder, lungs, stomach, etc. to be more compressed, therefore, causing me to eat less, have less oxygen in my lungs, etc. I had bloodwork done to see if my liver and kidney function is different than the bloodwork I had done in June. We don’t think I will have another CT Scan, but we will decide after the doctor sees the results of the bloodwork.

I am going to make an effort to make myself walk and try to be as active as I can. I don’t want to gain the weight I lost so I know I will have to watch what I eat, even though it might be tough. I like to eat cake and cookies, pizza, pasta, etc.  I am not going to stress over it.

That’s about it for now. Happy Holidays Everyone. Thank you for your love, support, encouragement, friendship, and so much more!!!